PH includes Palestinian spouses of Filipinos in list to cross Egypt-Gaza border

Philippine officials have included the names of Palestinian spouses of Filipinos in the list of those intending to leave war-torn Gaza amid ongoing Israeli strikes, a senior Foreign Affairs official said Wednesday.

At a press briefing, DFA Undersecretary Ed De Vega said it would be up to Egypt or relevant authorities whether or not to allow them to accompany their Filipino spouses.

“We gave the names of the spouses and said they will accompany the wife. We will not actively ask to allow them to leave but we said these are the spouses to be with their wives. The Palestine Authority should work for their release outside Gaza,” De Vega said.

If allowed to cross Rafah border to Egypt, De Vega said the Philippine Embassy in Cairo will process their visas to the Philippines.

“They need to follow rules on foreign spouses of Filipinos,” he said, adding they need to shoulder their own air transportation expenses.

“We are not going to pay for their ticket. We will use the same formula we used in Sudan repatriation. Remember, we are not sending repatriation flights, we will use commercial flights,” De Vega added.

There are currently 136 Filipinos in Gaza, which was placed under Alert level 4 or mandatory evacuation by the Philippines. Between 70 to 80 have sought repatriation.

De Vega said four Filipinos, including a nun and a half-Palestine male and his child, have remained in Gaza City, the site of intense bombing by Israel forces in retaliation to Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack that killed 1,400 Israelis and scores, including foreigners, were taken hostages.

Four Filipinos have died in Israel, while two more were reported missing. One of the two, according to the spouse of a Filipino man, was taken hostage by the Hamas, which controls Gaza.

De Vega said Philippine diplomats are still trying to ascertain the location of the Filipinos, adding they are in touch with foreign governments to help find them.

“We are not talking to the Hamas. We are asking the help of other governments,” he said.

He also said the remains of one of the four Filipino casualties in Israel have already been brought home to Bacolod. The Philippine government is also processing the transport of remains of three other Filipinos - two of which have already been cremated.

Rafah crossing remains shuttered for civilians intending to escape Gaza, except for humanitarian aid agencies bringing food, water, medicines and other supplies to thousands of civilians affected by Israel’s continuing bombardment.

“We join the call of United Nations for the cessation of hostilities and non-targeting of civilians and for humanitarian aid to keep coming in and for persons to be allowed out,” De Vega said.

The UN, for its part, appealed to Israeli authorities to allow the entrance of fuel into Gaza City amid the supply shortage, according to Raffy Tima's "24 Oras" report. 

“Fuel is extremely urgent because, without fuel, the trucks themselves cannot move. Without fuel, the generators cannot produce electricity for hospitals, bakeries, and water desalination plants,” United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East  spokesperson Tamara Alrifai said. 

Lebanon

In neighboring Lebanon, where militant Hezbollah group and Israeli forces are engaged in skirmishes in the south, Filipinos were urged to leave immediately.

There are around 17,500 Filipinos, mostly undocumented housemaids, in Lebanon and an estimated 100 are based in southern Lebanon.

De Vega said 113 from various parts of Lebanon have asked to be repatriated.

“We are calling on Filipinos in southern Lebanon to leave while commercial flights are still available and while it is still easy to get out,” he said. — with Sundy Locus/RSJ/VBL, GMA Integrated News